UNC calls for Henry’s head

The Opposition United National Congress (UNC) is calling on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to revoke the senatorial appointment of Dr Lester Henry with immediate effect.

The call came a day after a High Court judge ruled against Henry and ordered that he pay $550,000 in damages to former Central Bank Governor Jwala Rambarran.

On Thursday, Justice Devindra Rampersad ruled that Henry was “reckless” when he alleged on a radio programme that Rambarran used taxpayers’ money to effect repairs to his private home. Justice Rampersad held that Henry’s allegations were “rather serious” and served to undermine Rambarran’s “independence and integrity in no small measure.” The judge was also critical of Henry’s failure to disclose a copy of the radio interview recording which he received by the radio station. “We take serious issue with the fact that Dr Henry misled and deceived the court by failing to disclose that he had an official recording of the very radio talk show on which it was alleged he had uttered the defamatory words.

“This deliberate omission was crucial as Henry did not admit that he has spoken the words complained of,” the UNC said in a statement yesterday. The UNC said the judge’s finding was a, most serious matter.